I.B. TO HELP SANDAG BATTLE FLOODING IN HOMES

Imperial Beach pitches in to help control flooding

Alcorn explained that regrading the beach right now will not solve the problem.

“Mother Nature at this time of year has a lot of power, and has the ability to move the sand pretty rapidly,” he explained. “Any grading activities to push that entire beach back would be filled in and rebuilt within days, and we would never be able to keep up with that grading because of the climate now.”

The surf should calm by summer, he said, aiding in their efforts for a beach that facilitates the water’s return to sea.

Residents were skeptical.

“This is not an act of God this happened here,” said Linda Cordero, representing a company that owns one of the condominium building on Seacoast Drive. “It is an act of man. I’m not an engineer, but I do believe that sand was improperly placed. Before the city signs an MOU with this firm, I think some really close scrutiny of what has happened here is in order.”

Resident Alice Dela Torre said trenching is only a Band-Aid and not a long-term solution to a flawed design.

Resident Bob Hanson said he thinks the project was poorly planned and poorly implemented, and he wants to know who is going to be responsible when the foundations in the affected buildings begin crumbling a few years from now.

Councilman Edward Spriggs recused himself from the vote because he has property that has been damaged by the flooding, but he spoke as a member of the public.

“Their project’s a failure.” said resident John Ireland. “What they’ve got to do is solve the problem and go nature’s way and quit this idea of a level beach and create a sloped beach, the way it’s always been since I was 8 years old.”

Tom Cook of the Surfrider Foundation San Diego Chapter said he believes SANDAG has acted to the best of its ability and been exceptionally transparent about how it plans to deal with the ponding.